The Fiat 500 can be a hoot to drive. That much more
so the Abarth performance version. And there are tuners that can helpl like Pogea Racing.
The German aftermarket tuner has just announced its
latest take on the Italian retro hatch. Called the Ares, it packs quite a
punch. 404 horsepower, which is a heck of a lot in such a small
vehicle.
To get there, Pogea fitted the 1.4-liter turbo four
with new pistons, turbocharger, connecting rods, exhaust valves, crankshaft,
camshaft, oil cooler. To handle the extra muscle, Pogea also
fitted a new clutch, flywheel, and transmission oil cooler, as well as
322-millimeter perforated disc brakes packed into 18-inch alloys, shot with
Michelin Pilot Sport rubber and fitted to a KW Clubsport suspension.
All of that is packed into a wide body with
carbon-fiber panels to make it look more like a competition touring car than a
hairdresser's fashion accessory.
The list of upgrades goes on and on, but the sum
total is a 0-100 km/h time quoted at 4.7 seconds and a top speed of verified at 286 km/h. It'd be even quicker if only it had more traction from the front driven
wheels.
All those upgrades will cost you, though: Pogea quotes a list price
starting at € 58,950 (including the donor vehicle), which would be more than
enough to get you into a Porsche 718 Cayman in Germany.
